Morning sunlight slipped quietly through the curtains of the De Luca bedroom.
Purvi slowly opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she didn’t remember where she was.
She stared at the ceiling, still half asleep.
Then she felt something warm beneath her hand.
Her eyes moved downward.
She froze.
Her hand was resting on Vincenzo’s chest.
Purvi’s eyes widened.
She slowly lifted her head.
Vincenzo was still asleep beside her.
His dark hair was slightly messy, his face unusually relaxed without the usual hard expression he wore whenever he was awake.
Purvi stared at him.
She had never seen him like this before.
He looked…
peaceful.
Not frightening.
Not cold.
Not irritated.
Just a man sleeping.
A smile slowly appeared on Purvi’s lips.
She immediately frowned.
Why was she smiling?
She looked at her hand again.
Then at his face.
“Why am I smiling?” she whispered.
Vincenzo didn’t move.
Purvi carefully tried to pull her hand away.
She moved slowly, afraid of waking him.
But the moment she shifted, something tugged at her neck.
She stopped.
She looked down.
Her wedding chain was caught in the buttons of Vincenzo’s shirt.
Purvi blinked.
“Oh no.”
She tried gently pulling it.
Nothing.
She tried again.
Still stuck.
She looked at Vincenzo.
He was still sleeping.
“Please don’t wake up,” she whispered.
She leaned closer.
Very carefully, she tried to loosen the chain from the button.
The chain wouldn’t move.
Purvi frowned.
“Come on…”
She gently tugged again.
Still nothing.
She leaned even closer, her face now only inches from his.
She could hear his steady breathing.
She could feel the warmth coming from him.
Purvi suddenly became aware of how close she was.
Her cheeks warmed.
“Why is this happening?”
She tried to free the chain one more time.
That was exactly when the bedroom door opened.
“Good morning, children—”
Grandma Lucia stopped.
Purvi froze.
Vincenzo remained asleep.
Lucia stared at the scene before her.
Purvi was leaning over Vincenzo.
Her hand was on his chest.
Her wedding chain was tangled in his shirt.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Lucia’s lips slowly curved into a knowing smile.
Purvi’s eyes widened.
“Grandma!”
Lucia placed a hand over her mouth.
“Oh.”
“No, it’s not what you think!”
Lucia’s smile became wider.
“I haven’t even said what I think.”
Purvi’s face turned bright red.
“I was only trying to—”
“Untangle your wedding chain?”
“Yes!”
Lucia nodded slowly.
“Of course.”
Purvi narrowed her eyes.
“Grandma.”
Lucia walked into the room.
“I thought you two would already be awake.
I wanted to tell you breakfast is ready.”
Purvi glanced at Vincenzo.
“He is still sleeping.”
Lucia looked at her grandson.
“Vincenzo?
Sleeping this late?”
Purvi nodded.
“He was probably tired.”
Lucia smiled.
“Or perhaps he had a good reason to stay in bed.”
“Grandma!”
Lucia laughed softly.
“All right, all right.
I won’t tease you.”
She looked at the chain.
“Do you need help?”
Purvi nodded desperately.
“Please.”
Lucia walked over.
Before she could help, Vincenzo stirred.
Purvi immediately froze.
His brows furrowed.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze first landed on Purvi.
Then on her hand resting against his chest.
Then on her face.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Vincenzo’s voice came out deep and sleepy.
“What are you doing?”
Purvi immediately sat up.
“I’m not doing anything!”
He glanced down.
His eyes caught the wedding chain tangled in his shirt.
He looked back at her.
“Apparently.”
Purvi pointed at the chain.
“It’s stuck!”
Vincenzo looked at it.
Then at Grandma.
Lucia was trying very hard not to laugh.
Vincenzo sighed.
“Grandmother.”
Lucia smiled innocently.
“I came to call you for breakfast.”
Vincenzo carefully reached for the chain.
“Hold still.”
Purvi did.
He worked the chain free from his shirt with surprisingly gentle fingers.
Finally, it slipped loose.
Purvi immediately moved away.
“Thank you.”
Vincenzo simply nodded.
Lucia watched them.
“Well, look at that.”
Vincenzo glanced at her.
“What?”
“You two already look comfortable together.”
“We aren’t.”
Purvi and Vincenzo answered at the same time.
Lucia laughed.
“Of course.”
Vincenzo got out of bed.
Purvi looked away.
Lucia shook her head as she walked toward the door.
“Breakfast in fifteen minutes.”
Then she paused.
“And Purvi?”
“Yes, Grandma?”
“Next time you want to wake your husband, you can simply call his name.”
Purvi’s mouth fell open.
“Grandma!”
Lucia laughed all the way out of the room.
Purvi covered her face.
“This is embarrassing.”
Behind her, Vincenzo adjusted his shirt.
“She’ll forget.”
Purvi looked at him.
“She won’t.”
He shrugged.
“Then ignore her.”
Purvi smiled.
“You’re surprisingly calm.”
“I’m used to my grandmother.”
She studied him.
“Do you always sleep so deeply?”
Vincenzo looked at her.
“Do you always ask so many questions?”
“There you are.”
“What?”
“The rude Vincenzo.”
He stared at her.
Purvi smiled.
Then she walked toward the bathroom.
“Good morning, husband.”
She disappeared before he could respond.
Vincenzo stood there.
His eyes followed the bathroom door.
He didn’t know why.
He simply stared.
Then he shook his head.
“Ridiculous.”
By the time Purvi came downstairs, breakfast was already being served.
The dining room was bright with morning sunlight.
Alessandro was sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone.
Isabella was drinking tea.
Lucia was already seated at the head of the table.
Serafina sat quietly beside her.
Purvi smiled.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Isabella replied.
Alessandro looked up.
“Morning, Mrs.
De Luca.”
Purvi smiled.
“Morning.”
Lucia watched her carefully.
Then her eyes moved toward the staircase.
Vincenzo appeared moments later.
The room became noticeably quieter.
He walked toward his chair.
Purvi sat beside him.
Alessandro looked between them.
Then he smiled.
“Interesting.”
Vincenzo looked at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You clearly have something to say.”
Alessandro shook his head.
“I was just thinking you look unusually tired.”
Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed.
“Eat your breakfast.”
Isabella covered a smile.
Lucia looked amused.
Purvi tried to hide her own smile.
Serafina noticed.
Her expression remained unreadable.
Breakfast began.
Purvi reached for some fruit.
Vincenzo reached for his coffee at the same time.
Their hands nearly touched.
Purvi pulled hers back.
“You first.”
Vincenzo took the cup.
“Thank you.”
Purvi blinked.
He had actually said thank you.
She smiled.
Alessandro noticed.
“Oh, this is getting interesting.”
Vincenzo glared at him.
“Eat.”
Alessandro laughed.
Lucia served Purvi some food.
“Eat properly, dear.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“You didn’t eat much yesterday.”
“I was nervous.”
“Why?”
Purvi glanced at Vincenzo.
“Because everyone was staring at me.”
Vincenzo looked at her.
“You handled it.”
Purvi’s eyes widened slightly.
It was almost a compliment.
“Thank you.”
He simply continued eating.
Isabella smiled quietly.
Even Serafina noticed the exchange.
Lucia leaned back.
“I think marriage is already making progress.”
Vincenzo nearly choked on his coffee.
“Grandmother.”
Lucia laughed.
Purvi covered her smile.
“It’s just breakfast.”
“Exactly,” Lucia replied.
“And yet my grandson is thanking his wife.”
Alessandro laughed loudly.
Vincenzo gave him a deadly look.
“Do you want to leave this table?”
“No.”
“Then eat.”
Purvi couldn’t hold it anymore.
She laughed.
Vincenzo turned toward her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You are laughing at me.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Purvi smiled.
“Maybe a little.”
He stared at her.
Then, despite himself, the corner of his mouth almost lifted.
Almost.
Purvi noticed.
Her smile widened.
“There.”
Vincenzo’s expression immediately hardened.
“What?”
“You almost smiled.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I didn’t.”
Alessandro looked between them.
“Oh, he definitely did.”
“Alessandro.”
“Fine, fine.”
Vincenzo returned to his breakfast.
But Purvi continued smiling.
She didn’t understand why the morning felt different.
She didn’t understand why waking up beside him had made her smile.
She didn’t understand why seeing him almost smile made her heart feel strangely light.
And Vincenzo didn’t understand why, for the first time in years, breakfast didn’t feel like a chore.
Neither of them said anything.
But something small had changed.
Neither was ready to admit it.
Not yet.